Essentially, it is all about getting yourself heard and remembered by the people that matter – your clients. I found the research document chapter – with an example laid out in its entirety – particularly useful.

I am not a consultant, but have to satisfy internal clients, as does any HR professional. And it does not hurt to understand how to market yourself and what works to make yourself invaluable to those clients.

HR needs all the help it can get to raise its profile within organisations and this well-written, practical guidebook will inspire and entertain.

But you must be careful not to read this book on the train – as it will make you laugh out loud and disturb everyone else in the carriage.

At £12.99, this book offers good value for money for those starting out in consultancy, and would equally help those who want fresh ideas to reach new business.

Claire Bentley is European people and organisational development manager, Heinz Europe. She is currently reading Maverick by Ricardo Semler and Designing effective organisations by Michael Goold and Andrew Campbell